Picky eater

[Pamcakes1980]

My daughter is a VERY picky eater! She won't eat fruits or veggies. Her diet consists of pizza, fast food, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, pretty much anything UNHEALTHY. She is only 6 years old and weighs 105 lbs. Also, she is on a medication that makes her gain weight. She doesn't get a whole lot of excersise. Anyway, I really want her to start eating better. The thing is, any new thing I try if she doesn't like the way it looks, she gags. If she even takes a bite, she vomits. I just don't know what to do. Any suggestions?

[BBWCHATT]

Pam - since she is on medication - I might ask her doctor for help before making any changes.

I have also found that real hunger drastically improves the taste of healthy food:)

[whiffey]

I don't know about the medication, but are you for real ?

This is your DAUGHTER, why don't you be a good mother. Otherwise just join the McDonalds high-fat blubbery brigade and get on with it.

Do you REALLY believe that as a mother you can't influence your 6-yo daughter's eating habits ?????

[Gef]

Sorry to sound so cruel but you are the one that provides her with these foods. Present her with what you eat and if she doesn't eat it then tough.

[Kaz081992]

How are your cooking skills? Because you can easily turn those unhealthy meals into very nutrious ones. For example.... Make your own chicken nuggets with 100% chicken breast meat rolled in breadcrumbs and bake in the oven. Pizza - buy a pack of small pizza bases and pile high with vegetables and put just a very small amount of cheese on top. Make things look fun. Mash some potato with carrot and swede, shape into a triangle, put some red pepper strips around the outside and you have a wigwam! Make food fun, get creative and let her help out making the food, if she's involved in making it she'll be more inclined to try it. Hope this helps :-)

[Psychick]

Has you daughters medical condition got anything to do with her eating habits? ie the gagging and vomitting. I agree with BBWCHATT, you need to make her doctor aware and get proper nutrional advice.
What was her eating like as a baby? Did you encourage her to eat fruit and vegetables?

[Psychick]

An idea thats just come to me, would involving her in cooking new, healthy and fun foods encourage her to eat better?

[Pamcakes1980]

In response to whiffey, you were quite harsh. You don't even know me and to say "be a good mother" wasn't quite "right." I do appreciate everyones answers and help. Thanks!

[Pamcakes1980]

Psychick- As an infant she DID eat veggies and fruits. As she has become older, she pushes them away. After many times of trying to force it on her, I gave up when every single time she vomits.
Kaz081992- Thanks bunches for the meal advice. I will defininetly try that.

[lady_p_gold]

This is a common problem and always easier to deal with when you are not the mother sitting there driven to distraction .... however it is true that you are providing her with these things that she is eating. What you need to do is start some sort of rewards programme, or better still get a copy of a House of Tiny Tearaways episode and you will see that every time a child will not eat, she manages to cure them because she is not emotionally involved. You are being emotionally blackmailed into letting this behaviour continue, plus the fact that she must be eating much larger portions than she should be.

[indianwells]

Will she eat soup? A vegetable soup packed with fresh veg and pureed until really fine is a good way to get essential vitamins into kids. A wholemeal roll with it would make a filling meal.

[leelapops]

Hi Pamcakes1980.

Everyone's advice (more or less!) has been really good so far.
Whiffey, I think you're well out of order-I am sure she's aware that she has responsibility for her child, else why would she be asking for advice?
People are waaaay too quick to judge.

My friend's little girl (and also her partner!!) won't really eat veg, so I had suggested grating veg into pasta sauces really finely.
I know it must be difficult as a parent to find time to freshly prepare things, but not everything takes hours! And I find stuff made from scratch works out cheaper than ready-meals too.
Could you make vegetable burgers, with loads of ketchup and brown buns as a healthy alternative to mcdonalds? Maybe even make sweet potato or parsnip "fries" which kids tend to like because they are sweet and have a nice texture.

And yes, if you watch house of tiny tearaways you will see how Tanya manages to help as she is detached. How is the mood at food time? If you're more relaxed about presenting the food, and also, as has been said, your daughter has some involvement in geting her hands dirty, both of you may deal with it better.

I hope you find a solution.
Lisa x

[Pamcakes1980]

WOW, I am just soo thankful for everyone's help! I guess I do get a little frustrated when she starts gagging, and then does the vomitting. It's just to the point where I'm kinda throwing my hands in the air and saying what should I do?! As her mother, I know I must be stern. I just feel bad saying "Well, you aren't getting anything to eat since you won't eat that."

AGAIN, thanks soo much for everyone's responses and help. I TRULY do appreciate it.

[indianwells]

Anthony Worall Thompson used to play a game with his kids. He would blindfold them and then give them a taste of selected foods. Then they would tell him if they liked it or not so if they said carrot was nice it didn't matter if they said "yuk!"once told what it was, the point was they could never again say they didn't like carrots! I thought that was ingenious.

[missrandom]

I am sorry but I have to aggree with whiffey in most respects. Youve fed these to your daughter, and I am afraid she has blackmailed you and does so everytime she gags or vomits. On the more helpful side, dont let her have any snacks other than fruit, just say no, she wont starve. give her a normal healthy dinner, if she eats her veg, let her have a small treat. no veg no treat. its hard but its worth it, and if you let this carry on it will just get worse. good luck.

[shaneystar2]

"She doesn't get a whole lot of exercise"
Then encourage her to exercise . Anything ..skipping ,running around in the park ,swimming ,running and jumping ,ball games .She is six years old. She should be running about in the fresh air and then she will be hungry ..this is when you can hone in with the healthy food . I am sorry but if you continue to serve up this unhealthy stuff just because it's what she likes then you are stirring up trouble . She has you over a barrel and knows it ! Kids can be the biggest little blackmailers going where food is concerned ! Stand firm .
Also ...she is school age .....has she got issues at school ? Is anyone tormenting her ? You need to get to the bottom of it .Have a word with her teacher ..there may be something else behind this behaviour .

[BBWCHATT]

Pam you could also make fruit smoothies for her - most kids love them.

[lafrancaise]

I agree with Shaneystar on this. What she needs to do is exercise. once she gets into whatever she's doing you can convince her with whatever you want. Use a famous person's name in her sport and say they eat this they don't eat that. I had a boy here for his holidays one year who wouldn't eat many things, First, I convinced him of eating 'cowboy food' (mince and onion steaks, baked beans, onions' then we got onto vegetables and at the end of the fortnight because it wasn't the name he was eating but something or other food, it all went down a treat! Some kids don't like hearing the words fruit and vegetables

[WendyS]

It must be very difficult for you and I'm sure it never occurred to you that your daughter in some subtle way might be manipulating you. i.e. when she gags and vomits, you immediately feel you have to respond to her reaction and revert to giving her unhealthy foods for a quiet life and to convince yourself a good mother by ensuring she doesn't starve. Perhaps if you keep her quite hungry for a few days, and only give her very tiny portions of healthy food and totally refuse any unhealthy snacks she will gradually start to eat them. Don't force her but let her know that if she doesn't eat what you provide there will be no more food until the next meal, apart from perhaps an apple or a banana. However difficult it is, it's essential you take back control of the situation and are in the driving seat. But don'[t make a battle of it. If she won't eat the healthy stuff, just throw it away and let her go hungry until the next meal. I know she's very young but could you try growing a few veggies in your garden and let her have her own patch. if she's involved, it might change her attitude.

[Pamcakes1980]

You "guys" are certainly right. This past week we have started a diet together. She still doesn't like eating veggies or fruits. However she is eating lowfat yogurt and is doing well with it. I have started her on a low calorie diet. Giving her the yogurt or something else low in calories as a snack. We are going on more walks together, and we will be getting a membership at the local pool.
Once again, I am very happy with the responses that I have gotten and I appreciate them all (well, most of them). Thanks for everyone's time!!!!

[missrandom]

yaay, well done. I am sorry if you didnt like my answer, but i dont beat around the bush, and I am pretty honest with my opinions. God on you for taking the step!!